SELECTIVE CONSCIENCE KEEPERS & CONFLICTs OF INTERESTs It is almost a week since Nandu posted as below. And it is even longer time after the issues Nandu referred to occurred. Yet the conscience keepers have not spoken a word on the conflicts of interests in the cases he refers to. This lends a strong credence to his claim – conscience keepers are selective. And why are they selective? Is it that conscience keepers also have interests (and conflicts thereof and therein) of their own? Speak up conscience keepers. Or accept that you were SELECTIVE. Rajendra Nandkumar on 16 july 2010 wrote: The highly selective approach of the conscience keepers of Goa would be seen in their stand on the following issues where obviously the 'conflict of interest' is either not detected due to poor homework or because there is a tacit understanding that these personalities deserve permanent exemption. Besides there are fundamental issues ( policies, legislative reforms, administrative mechanism, decentralization of powers to grassroots) to be addressed on the purpose and mandate of the so called "TCP review committee" that too under an officer who has been accused to shield mining interests and ironically 'prepared' both "goa mining policy' and "goa forest policy" which are awaiting cabinet clearance. After a careful thought I am constrained and compelled by conscience to paste some old correspondence (make a composite reading of all three e-mails annexed below) on Regional plan and related issues.
Examine three latest developments:- 1). Government shelves City development plan (CDP) of Margao MC Questions"- a) Who prepared the plan at Govt. cost? Answer:- Arch. Rahul Deshpande and associates Incidentally Mr. Deshpande also happens to be the paid ( and prize winning too, we appreciate that) architect of GSSIDC and also a member of an important decision making task force on RP Goa 2021-would the conscience keepers ask Mr. Deshpande to make his choice now?. A panchayat member is disqualified if he/she takes government contracts. 2). GOAMAP criticism of ex-NIO biologist, mangrove champion Dr. Aravind Untawale GOAMAP commented-"GOAMAP also condemns scientist Arvind G. Untawale, former director of National Institute of Oceonagraphy, Dona Paula who has prepared report for Goa Governemnt declaring that there are no mangroves in Pachwadi to benefit Sesa Goa mining company. GOAMAP advises Dr. Untawale and other scientists not to indulge in unethical practices to favour mining industry." I have not seen or studied the report. Nobody can doubt Dr. Untawale's knowledge, expertise and interest reg. mangroves. So it is difficult to believe the comments if we read what he had said in Mumbai-check the news item-Report indicts CIDCO, MHADA, MMRDA(check the weblink http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/8501673.cms ). Dr. Untawale had done excellent consultancy for Industrialist Godrej foundation leading to conservation of pristine mangroves at Wikhroli. But Panchwadi is an ecosensitive area where no mining should be allowed at any cost. I am trying to get a calling attention motion on this issue in Goa assembly. GOAMAP could help. But is there no conflict of interest if Dr. Untawale continues to be a member of CZMA almost from the beginning all these years?. And why there is a retd. geologist sitting on CZMA?. Is there no conflict of interest?. Another geologist/marine scientist is member secretary of Goa state biodiversity board- How he would reconcile the interest of mining companies and biodiversity conservation? 3). Constitution of govt. committee on review of TCP act, 1974 I maintain that RP-2021 has to be dumped, scrapped immediately and all those who helped in laying down this dangerous trap owe an immediate apology to people of Goa. Spatial planning powers to be fully decentralised. State land use board and land resources management committees need to be recast and activated. RP-2021 would ensure with better maps, GIS etc. programmed, stepwise, intelligently planned systematic, externally aided destruction of Goa. The folly would be realized once harassment of the people post notification begins. It is different matter that I had campaigned in favour of Model TCP act, 1998 was an active and integral part of CSJP's pre GBA deliberations in 2005 (see E-mail ANNEXURE 1-the draft of letter/ press release which I had assisted to revise and ponder whether GBA has received answers to the issues raised way back in Dec. 2005by an important organ of the Church itself) and in all sincerity made suggestions to the CM after a farcical meeting on TCP act in October 2007, (see ANNEXED e-mail 2 below). Now look at the composition of the new review committee- 1. Commissioner & Secretary (TCP) ? Chairman. 2. Adv. *Mahesh Sonak* ? Member. 3. Adv. *Nitin Sardesai* ? Member. 4. Adv. *Cleofato Countinho* ? Member. 5. Under Secretary (Drafting/ ? Member. /Law) Law Department 6. Ms. *Patricia Pinto* ? Member. 7. Shri *Shridhar Kamat* ? Member. 8. Shri *James Mathew*, ? Member * * * Read Selma Carvalho's warmly-received book *Into the Diaspora Wilderness*, a journey through Goan life in Africa, the Gulf, England and North America ... gripping and well-told real-life stories. See http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ Buy in Goa via Broadway Book Centre, Panjim. Ph 9822488564. * * *
